Cultivated seafood startup Forsea Foods announces a significant tech breakthrough for producing cultivated eel at scale.
The Israeli startup claims it has reached a “record-breaking” cell density of over 300 million cells/ml using minimal growth media, setting a new industry standard. “This is the highest cell density recorded in the field, moving Forsea to the forefront of cultured seafood production efficiency,” the startup said.
“It’s a validation of our approach to high-efficiency cultivation of seafood to meet both economic and sustainability goals at scale.”
Forsea’s cultivated seafood platform implements organoid technology to create a natural growth environment for animal cells, forming three-dimensional tissue structures (whole cuts) without scaffolding. The technology also simplifies production, enhances scalability, and reduces the need for expensive growth factors.
Moria Shimoni, CTO of Forsea, comments, “The breakthrough to this level of cell density highlights the strength of our organoid technology. It’s a validation of our approach to high-efficiency cultivation of seafood to meet both economic and sustainability goals at scale.”
Such cell density, a powerful precedent
The achievement in cell density and resource minimization is expected to reduce production costs below traditional market prices, addressing one of the biggest challenges in the industry. High cell density is essential for scaling up production to a commercial level since it delivers more biomass, reduces production time and costs, and enhances the product’s quality.
Founder and CEO Roee Nir explains, “Achieving this level of cell density with minimal resources will translate to substantial reductions in the unit economics and will bring cultured seafood production to a cost that is actually below the traditional market price.
“This is a major milestone for Forsea and validates our vision of making sustainable, high-quality seafood affordable and widely accessible. It also sets a powerful precedent for scaling other cultured seafood products and establishing sustainable alternative supply chains for ecologically sensitive species.”
Market launch by 2026
With successful proof-of-concept, Forsea plans to expand to commercial-scale production, aiming for a market launch of its cultivated eel products by 2026. Earlier this year, the startup hosted its first official tasting in Tel Aviv, where 40 guests could enjoy grilled cultivated eel, receiving positive reviews.
Roee Nir, Moria Shimoni, Iftach Nachman, and Yaniv Elkouby founded Forsea Foods in 2021, targeting freshwater eel due to its high demand, particularly in Japan, which is the largest consumer. Overfishing and environmental issues threaten the traditional supply of this sought-after fish; an alternative production method could solve both challenges.
The cultivated seafood startup has received support from the Israeli Innovation Authority, The Kitchen Hub, and backing from PeakBridge VC, Zora Ventures, FoodHack, and M&H Ventures. In 2022, it raised $5.2 million for its innovative approach in a seed round led by Target Global.
Elliot Swartz, principal scientist of cultivated meat at GFI, commented on Forsea’s milestone: “Our recent industry survey shows that cultivated meat production is definitely not a one-size-fits-all approach. It’s encouraging to see positive data from companies showing how different methods can address challenges in cost and scale.
“I’m especially pleased to see a GFI research grantee, Iftach Nachman, help a startup pioneer new ways of cultivating meat. This is a great example of how foundational open-access science enables and makes possible follow-on work by the private sector.”
